Sign and sign character



June 4, 1940. G A AUER SIGN AND SIGN CHARACTER Filed Jan. 19, 1937 Patented June 4, 1940 UNITED STATES SIGN AND SIGN CHARACTER George A; Auer, Chicago, Ill., assigner to Wagner Sign Service, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application January 19, 1937,1Serial No. 121,318

3 Claims.

This invention relates to display devices, and is particularly concerned With illuminated signs and sign characters of the class disclosed, for example, in the Patents #2,048,040, issued July 5 2l, 1936,l #2,038,978, issued April 28, 1936.

The purpose of both of these patented structures is to produce a sign having a display panel in front of which are removably mounted socalled silhouette letters or characters appearing in outline against the panel.

It will be appreciated that the appearance of such a sign and itslcomponent parts is of paramount importance, such signs being used, for example, as display devices in front of theaters or the like. The message should be clearly visible and readable even from a considerable distance, and at any reasonable angle of approach. It is rather diflicult to reconcile the many requirements of appearance and function with the structural and material limitations that present themselves, taking into consideration night and day conditions, and specifically the eect of a brilliantly illuminated display panel in back of such silhouette letters after dark, and also the effect of light diiusion in daylight, with all the problems caused by refraction and reiiection that must be considered in either case of use.

The Patent #2,038,978 suggests the use of a letter with a pronounced bevel edge somewhat along the line of the structures shown in the U. Sl. patent to li-Iartley, #488,655, and in the French Patents #3'7l,830 and #445,099, providing, however, a determined light-reiiecting, flat-faced edge or bevel aroundthe letter or character which extends totheouterinost (rearmost) edges thereof, consti-l tutes light-reecting peripheral fiat-faced surfaces, so that, when the light shines from behind, i, e., when the panel is illuminated, the light-refleeting surfaces catch the light and reflect it, furnishing a light boundary around the letter.

In the structure disclosed by the second noted Patent #2,048,040, we have a more or less acute or slightly rounded edge iinishing off the face of the letter or character, and peripheral flanges extending therefrom toward the back. If the panel in back of such a letter is illuminated the letter will stand out in silhouette without displaying the light boundary of the previously noted structure having the determined light-reflecting bevel edge. 1n other words, such a light-reflecting bevel edge has been found to detract from the silhouette effect when the panel is illuminated.

However, the use of a light-reflecting rim or edge outlining the'letter or character is desirable in the presence of certain eondi'ticnsand at certain times, for example, in daylight when the panel is not illuminated. The new structure disclosed herein retains all desirable features and eliminates the drawbacks attending prior structures of this kin-d. It improves the appearance of a sign or character, and also its operation.v

The new feature consists in the provision of selective light-reecting means for example, a groove, arranged peripherally around the letter or sign character, whereby daylight is substantially uniformly reflected, furnishing a light or luminous boundary or band around theL letter, emphasizing its intended outline appearance, While substantially no reilection takes place when the panel behind the letter is illuminated so that the letter can stand out boldly in silhouette against the illuminated display panel background substantially in its full size and without the detrimental light boundary or halo previously described.

The above intimated and other objects will be fully brought out in the following detailed description with reference to the drawing forming a part of this speciiication. In the drawing,

Fig. 1 shows the pertinent parts of a display sign, including letters made in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side View of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a section taken along the line 3 3 of Fig. l. 1

Fig. 4 is a section similar to the one shown in Fig 3, but illustrating a letter or sign having sloping flanges;

Fig. 5 represents a section, in part, of a further modiiication; and

Figs. 6 and 7 are explanatory diagrams showing the effect of the light rays on my sign and the new letter contrasted with the effect of light rays on a prior structure.

Referring now to the drawing,v in Figs. l, 2 and 3, 11 indicates a translucent display panel mounted in suitable manner and closing one side of a receptacle in which are disposed the light source or sources for illuminating it in accordance with previously mentioned known patents. Rod-like carriers I2 and i3 may be provided for mounting the letters or characters in front of the panel. Numeral l5 designates one embodiment of the new sign or character secured on the carriers l2 and i3 and at 53 is indicated part of another character mounted adjacent thereto. It will be seen, particularly from Fig. 2, that this character, for example, the one at I5, which in the pre..- ent instance for the sake of example is shown as letter E3 is provided with peripheral flanges in All) which are cut inclined notches I 6-I'I, respectively, for engagement with the rod-like carriers I2 and I3. Other characters are, of course, of like structure. The letters are thus disposed in front of the panel II with the rearmost boundaries of the ianges near the panel II. Any other suitable manner of mounting may be used. A concave groove such as I8 is provided at the edge of the face of each letter or character, running peripherally all along this edge, as shown in Fig. 1. Numerals I), 5I and 52 indicate light sources positioned in back of the panel II and shown in dotted lines. The flanges I9 (Fig. 3) are disposed substantially at an angle perpendicular to the face of the letter, but in practice will be at a slight angle thereto in order to expedite the casting operation.

The section illustrated in Fig. 4 is a view corresponding to the one shown in Fig. 3, but of a sign or character 2U having flanges 2| and 22 which are disposed at a diierent angle from the face of the letter than in the structure shown in Fig. 3. This ligure is included herein merely to show an alternative structure of a letter. The new selective light-reflecting means, namely, the concave groove 23, is again provided peripherally along the edge of the letter and corresponds to the selective light-refiecting provision I8 indicated in Figs. l, 2 and 3.

In Fig. 5 is shown a further modication, indicating one face edge of a letter or character in section, wherein the selective light-reiiecting means or groove 23 is disposed wholly on the face immediately adjacent the edge or, in other words, in the plane of the face surface. This indicates that the center point of the arc of the groove may be shifted as desired. The radius may of course also be chosen according to needs.

The above is a description of structural details which are pertinent to the present invention. As noted previously, I have shown the mounting provision in detail described in the previously noted Patent #2,048,040 merely for the sake of convenience. If desired, any other mounting provision may be used. In general, my invention is concerned with the provision of selective light-reflecting means whereby diffused light surrounding the sign will be uniformly refiected, creating a luminous band or edge around the letter or character, While light generated in back of the display panel will not strike or will substantially avoid the selective light-reflecting means, in order to eliminate the detrimental and objectionable eects that may be caused by such a reiiection in the presence of artificial illumination. The intended sharp outline eiect cf the sign will thus be emphasized during daylight, and the silhouette effect will be fully manifest after dark when the panel is illuminated.

The above intimated operation is apparent from an inspection of Figs. 6 and '7, which are described below.

In Fig. 6 I have digrammatically shown a portion of a translucent display panel 25 in front of which is mounted a letter or sign character 26 in the manner previously described or in any other suitable manner. This letter or character may be of the type shown in Figs. l-5, and is provided with a selective light-reflecting means or groove 2l which extends peripherally along and around the edge of the face 28. Assuming daylight conditions, the diffused daylight will strike the selective light-reflecting edge 2'I and will be reflected thereby, as indicated, thus providing the luminous or lighted band around the mass of the letter or character and emphasizing its sharp outline appearance against the panel 25. The direction of the reflected light rays will depend on the formation and placement of the light-reflecting groove with respect to the plane of the face surface, and may thus be predetermined.

It is, of course, understood that this selective light-reflecting groove may be suitably finished and painted as desired; for example, it may be painted with aluminum or other metal paint and the like. It should be noted that the concave groove is at an angle of a certain desired radius, thus furnishing a light-collecting surface in accordance with well known laws of optics.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 7, I have diagrammatically shown therein a receptacle or box 30 containing the light sources SI, 32, 33, 34 mounted on suitable brackets, as indicated. One side of the box or receptacle is closed by the translucent or transparent panel 35, and in front of this panel are mounted rows of letters or characters such as indicated at 36 and 3l. The letter or character 36 is assumed to be of a structure such as described in the Patent #2,038,978 noted before; and the letter or character 3l is assumed to be of a structure such as described herein and provided with a selective light-reflecting edge, as explained, which is indicated by numeral 38.

The effect of daylight conditions on these two types of letters is believed to be apparent from the foregoing. In case of the letter 3l, the diffused light is collected in the reflecting means 38 and provides an outline-emphasizing boundary; and in the case of the letter 36, we obtain a flat, accidental and diffused weak outline reflection.

Assuming now conditions after dark when the light sources SI-S are turned on, the display panel will be brilliantly illuminated and light rays will emanate from it, as indicated in Fig. 7. Only some of the critcial light rays are indicated, in order to keep the drawing simple. In the case of the prior structure shown at 36, these light rays strike the light-reflecting hat peripheral surfaces of the* anges. rl'hey are then reflected, as indicated, and create the halo which diminishes the effective silhouette size of the letter or character and blius its appearance.

Assuming identical illuminating conditions for the letter or character 3'I of my structure, it will be seen that the light rays emanating from the light sources and through the display panel 35 do not strike the selective light-reflecting grooves 38, and the effect will be that the full size of the letter or character is retained in bold silhouette appearance, as indicated in the space 40. In the case of the letter or character Structure 36, however, it will be seen that the light rays striking the fiat-faced peripheral reflecting edges not only diminish the elective size of the silhouette letter to a space that might be empirically assumed to be as indicated at 4I, but also blur the outline of the letter considerably, as can be easily observed in practice. The visibility of such a letter is thus greatly reduced and its appearance suffers.

Attention is called to the fact that in an actual installation there are usually several letters or characters mounted in a row, one next to the other. In visualizing the eiect of the light rays,

this must be considered, and, accordingly, the

new selective light-reflecting means must be arranged so as to provide for the greatest angle of the light rays that may directly strike the letter.

Uses and embodiments other than described are possible, and it is therefore understood that I claim as my invention all such uses and embodiments that may fall within the scope vand spirit of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a changeable sign, a translucent panel, a plurality of characters supported on the face of said panel adjacent one another, a plurality of lamps behind said panel for displaying said characters, respectively, in silhouette, each lamp being positioned directlywin rear of its associated character, each said character having a peripheral flange extending rearwardly substantially perpendicular toits face, each said character also having a concave peripheral groove lying partly in the flange and partly in the face of the character, and the groove in each character being so oriented with respect to the face thereof that the concave surface of the groove is not exposed to light from the lamp in rear of the next adjacent character.

2. In a changeable sign, a plurality of opaque sign characters placed adjacent one another and forming a message, each character consisting of a body having a forward facing surface and a peripheral flange extending rearwardly substantially perpendicular thereto, said forward facing surfaces of said characters lying substantially in a common frontal plan-e and being wholly and entirely exposed to light rays striking the sign from the outside .at any angle directed against said frontal plane, a translucent display panel in back of said characters with its surface immediately adjacent the rearmost boundaries of the flanges thereof, a plurality of light sources in back of said panel, said light sources being positioned so as to project light forwardly against and through the panel and substantially directly at the rear of some of said characters and at an angle at the rear of other characters positioned adjacent thereto to display all of said characters in silhouette outline against said panel, and a concave light-reflecting groove in the body of each character lying partly in the flange and partly in the forward facing surface thereof, said groove being so oriented with respect to said forward facing surface of each character that its concave light-reflecting face is fully exposed to light rays striking the frontal plane of said characters.' from the outside, but is not exposed to light rays emanating from the light g source positioned adjacent to the rear of the respective character and striking the rear thereof at an angle.

3. In a changeable sign, a translucent panel,

a plurality of characters supported on the face of said panel adjacent one another, a plurality of lamps behind said panel for displaying said characters, respectively, in silhouette, each lamp being positioned directly in rear of its associated character, each said character having a peripheral flange extending rearwardly substantially perpendicular to its face, each said character also having a concave peripheral groove lying partly in the flange and partly in the face of the character.

GEORGE A. AUER. 

